Key takeaways
- A figure-eight device is a metal '8'-shaped descender for rappelling and (historically) belaying.
- The rope threads through the large ring and around the neck to create friction.
- It gives smooth rappels and dissipates heat well, but tends to twist the rope.
- Now common in rescue, canyoneering, and caving; largely replaced by tubes/ABDs for climbing belays.
From its figure-eight (number 8) shape.
This is general educational information, not instruction. Rappelling is life-critical — learn it hands-on with qualified instruction.
What it is
A figure-eight device (or ‘figure 8’) is a metal descender shaped like the number 8 — a large ring and a smaller ring — used to create friction on the rope, mainly for rappelling and rescue, and historically for belaying.
How it works
You thread a bight of rope through the large ring and around the neck (the narrow central part) to generate friction, then clip the small ring to your harness. The rope’s wraps create the friction you control with your brake hand to descend smoothly, and the device’s large surface area dissipates heat well on long rappels.
On a long canyoneering descent, a rappeller uses a figure-eight device — its big metal body shedding the heat of repeated long rappels and feeding rope smoothly — where they’d choose a tube or assisted-braking device for everyday cragging belays instead.
Why it’s less used for belaying
Tube devices like the ATC and assisted-braking devices like the GriGri offer better all-around belaying — more friction control, less rope twisting, and (for ABDs) assisted catches. Figure-eights tend to twist the rope and give less ideal belay friction. They remain popular for rappelling, rescue, canyoneering, and caving, but have largely been replaced for general climbing belays.
The bottom line
A figure-eight device is a metal '8'-shaped descender that creates friction for rappelling and rescue — smooth-running and great at dissipating heat, though it tends to twist the rope. Once used for belaying too, it's been largely replaced for climbing by tubes and assisted-braking devices, but remains a staple in rescue, canyoneering, and caving.
Frequently asked questions
What is a figure-eight device?
A figure-eight device is a metal descender shaped like the number 8 — a large ring and a smaller ring — used to create friction on the rope, mainly for rappelling and rescue, and historically for belaying. You thread a bight of rope through the large ring and loop it around the device's neck to generate the friction that controls your descent.
How does a figure-eight device work?
You pass a loop of rope through the big ring and over the neck (the central narrow part), then clip the small ring to your harness. As the rope runs through, the wraps create friction that you control with your brake hand to descend smoothly. The large surface area also dissipates the heat generated during long rappels well.
Why is the figure-eight less used for belaying now?
Because tube-style devices (like the ATC) and assisted-braking devices (like the GriGri) offer better all-around belaying — more friction control, less rope twisting, and, for ABDs, assisted holding of falls. Figure-eights tend to put twists in the rope and provide less ideal belay friction. So while they remain popular for rappelling, rescue, canyoneering, and caving, they've largely been replaced for general rock-climbing belays.
Sources
- Belay & rappel devices — American Alpine Club
- Rappelling — The Mountaineers